The Backpacker Gear Hall Of Fame: Tents

A look back at the tents we've loved for years are still at the top of their class.

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Eureka! Midori 2

Couples willing to forgo dual-door convenience get affordable livability with this freestanding dome, which offers good headroom, 33 square feet of sprawl-space, and a generous, 10-square-foot vestibule that’s more functional than most (thanks to a strut pole at the perimeter that boosts volume). $150; 4 lbs. 7 oz.; eurekatents.com

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Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2

A 2010 Editors’ Choice Award-winner, this ultralighter still leads the pack for lightweight, freestanding convenience: It sets up fast, offers legit space and weather protection for two, virtually eliminates interior condensation—and all for less than a pound per person. $390; 1 lb. 15 oz.; bigagnes.com

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REI Half Dome 2

Reasonably lightweight and supremely livable, this affordable favorite offers plenty of head- and elbowroom for two, which is why it won both Editors’ Choice (2002 ) and Gold (2010) awards. $189; 5 lbs. 2 oz.; rei.com

Mountain Hardwear SuperMega UL 1

If you want a solo tent with maximum weather protection for minimum weight, consider this bomb shelter: It repelled sideways rain and howling wind in Utah’s High Uintas, and a generous drip line keeps the interior dry during wet-weather exits. According to one tester, the 17-square-foot interior isn’t luxurious, but it's “plenty big for a tired backpacker.” $350; 1 lb. 13 oz.; mountainhardwear.com

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Sponsored: After looking at a map and seeing where you’re heading, it’s always amazing to see it appear up ahead of you in real life. Here’s our Editor-in-Chief hiking to two unnamed tarns near the headwaters of Lime Creek, about 3.5 miles west of Molas Pass on the Colorado Trail. Continued thanks to Mountain Hardwear for making the #ColoradoTrailFest come to life. #LiveBreatheHike #MountainHardwear Photo By Kennan Harvey